Speechless
by Mujitsu
Summary: Complete!Kagome saw something she was never supposed to see...and the only man she will ever be able to tell it to will end up protecting her. AU, SK. R&R please
1. Forbidden Viewing

(A/N: Hey everyone, it's your favorite authoress Mujitsu yet again. I was having major writers block for "For Richer or Poorer" when I suddenly got an idea for a new story, so I decided to just be daring and post the first chapter. I must warn you it's completely AU, and maybe a little cliché. I am an avid learner of sign language right now, and I really wanted a story that has that language in it. This is going to be my little experiment in trying to have an Inuyasha fic have sign language. I hope you enjoy the first chapter of "Speechless".)

Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Inuyasha. Plain and simple.

Chapter One

Forbidden Viewing

It was raining.

Luckily for Kagome Higurashi, it was only a slight drizzle instead of the forceful downpour Tokyo's city climate had decided to grace them for the past week. She dodged another puddle on the sidewalk, shifting the bags in her arms to get a better grasp on them. It had been a long, hellish day at the school and she was looking forward to reaching her apartment and relaxing for the rest of the night.

Of course, fate had other plans.

Briskly crossing the street that would lead her home, she enjoyed the sound of the gentle rain as it hit the pavement, letting the gentle patter sooth her stress away and ease her tension. A muffled cracking sound made her slow down and knit her eyebrows. That definitely wasn't the rain…

She heard another slight sound that almost sounded like a whimper, and her curiosity was peaked even more. The noise had come in the direction of an alley farther down the street that was isolated, and she had a quick internal debate. Should she go and see what the noise was…or go home and kick up her feet like she had been longing to do all day long? The keening noise came again, and she made up her mind. What if it was an animal or something? It might be hurt and would need help.

Cautiously, she began to walk down the dark alley, the lack of light making her nervous. _This would make the perfect setting to a horror movie_, she thought, suppressing a shudder. She wrinkled her nose as an overpowering stench crawled into her senses, and she glared at the huge dumpster that was ahead of her.

Too busy trying to hold her breath against the gagging, she almost failed to hear the voices at the end of the alley. Almost. Her steps faltered questioningly as she thought about whether to continue on. If there were voices down the alley, it would be none of her business to come traipsing up into the conversation. She saw vague shadows moving closer to her, and in a moment of panic, she ducked behind the dumpster.

She sat on the wet ground with her bag still in hand and mentally berated herself. _Great, Kagome, now what?_ She asked herself. _You didn't want to get caught snooping so you decided to make friends with a green monstrosity? Do you realize how stupid you must look right now?_

She thought about just standing up again and facing the embarrassment of interrupting a private conversation, or God help her, a lovers interlude, but when she heard that odd whimpering sound once more, she couldn't help but discreetly take a peek from behind the dumpster, and gasp at the sight that met her.

Four men could be seen in the diminishing light, but only two were actually standing. The other two had fallen on the ground and were forced by one of the other men to kneel with their hands behind their heads. Kagome could clearly see the weapons that the two standing men held, and felt her heart race in fear. One, a silver haired man with intense eyes held a gun loosely pointed at the two men on the ground, obviously awaiting orders from the other man. The other, the leader, was the one who made a shudder crawl down her spine. A katana, still sheathed, was held next to his trim body and although not drawn, its presence sent a sense of foreboding through her. Dark hair that flowed down his waist like smooth silk contrasted with a face as white as the purest snow. But what really made her cringe was the dark amusement that resided in his crimson eyes. The other man's eyes were just emotionless, blank and unfeeling, whereas his were brimming with glee at the pain and fear he was causing in the two beings that knelt before him.

What the hell had she gotten herself into? It was too late to crawl silently away, for the men were sure to spot her, so she was forced to watch, horrified, as one of the men on the ground said something derogatory to the dark haired man, and the man smiled. A second later, blood was pouring out of a fresh wound on his face, and Kagome gasped inwardly. She didn't even see the dark haired man move! Was it possible he was that fast?

She frowned as another thought entered her mind.

_Was he a demon?_

She wanted to shake the idea out of her head, but couldn't. Demons still existed, yes, but they were very rare. Kagome had never actually seen one herself, and she didn't know exactly how many resided in Tokyo. She did, however, know of the stories that were told about them. Superhuman speed and strength, senses that reached far beyond the human capability, agility that was unmatched, and superb powers and fighting skills were rumored to exist for every demon. She should have listened to all the stories her grandfather had told her before she brushed them off.

The voices reached her ears again, and another shiver ran through her at the cold voice of the dark haired man. She couldn't make out his words, but the coldness and ruthless amusement of it broke through everything else. In horror, she watched as he slowly drew the katana from his side, the metal winking sinisterly in the weak light. He lightly tapped the side of the face of one man, almost teasingly, a small smirk playing about his lips. The man on the ground then made the biggest and last mistake of his life. He spit.

Blood sprayed through the air and Kagome stifled her quick intake of air as the katana made a deadly flight through the air, completely severing head from body. Her eyes filled with tears at the body lying on the ground, and her eyes shot back to the murderer.

Almost as an afterthought, he flicked the blood off the blade of his sword, and sheathed it once more. He looked dispassionately at the other man, who was now softly crying for his fallen comrade, and began to walk away. Kagome quickly drew back, fearful now because the evil man was coming her way. If he happened to pass her and look back, he would spot her, and she would be dead.

Steadily, she heard his footsteps come closer to her location, and her heart sped up with every tap she heard. He was about to pass her…she began to pray silently to herself. She was now grateful for the rain. If he were a demon, the water would diminish his ability to smell her and the sound would prevent him from hearing the fierce pounding of her heart as he grew near. She closed her eyes…

"Oi!" a voice shot out, making her eyes fly open. It was the dark haired man's henchmen, she assumed, who had been left behind. "What do you want me to do with the other one?" his voice rang out.

She could hear the pregnate pause that followed, and then the voice she dreaded came floating to her in the dark. "Whatever you wish…"

She held her breath as he passed her hiding area and almost cried in relief as he left the alley without once looking back. She was safe, for now.

However, that didn't stop her from hearing the screams from the other victim on the ground, as the henchman apparently did whatever he desired. Screams that seemed to last for hours…and hours…and hours…

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After what seemed like an eternity, that narrow alleyway was soon filled with the sirens and lights of several police squad cars as they responded to the scene of the crime. After two of their officers failed to report in after a specific amount of time, the units were sent to investigate the last area where the officers were assigned to be. They met the gruesome sight of their fallen comrades, one almost mutilated beyond recognition and the other without his head. The rain had stopped several hours before, causing blood to pool everywhere instead of being carried away by water and filling the already stinking alleyway with its stench. Two officers stood, immobile by the horrible sight while another one was losing his dinner in the corner, but they all turned around when they heard the steady footsteps reaching their location.

They relaxed when the shadow fell away from the man to reveal a familiar, yet shockingly cold face. Golden eyes flashed over the two bodies, coldly assessing the damage, while his tall framed circled the scene. His silver hair, longer than was normal for this day and age, flashed in the meager light the lamps provided as the unique markings on his face marked his station in life and identified who he was.

"Sesshoumaru," one of the officers greeted, taking his hand off of his weapon as he realized whose presence he was in. "Did you just arrive?"

The silver-haired being nodded gracefully before his deep baritone filled the night. "How long have they been like this?"

One of the deputies scratched his head. "They were supposed to report in a half an hour ago, but never made it. Judging from the blood, they might've been lying here for hours."

Yes, the blood. Sesshoumaru could smell it in the air, all around, completely filling his senses as it aroused his darker side. He squelched it ruthlessly, and wordlessly turned away to walk back down the alley. The crime scene team would be there soon to give him any clues as to who might have killed members of his team, but for now, he would take a look around.

The first thing he noticed about this alley was the smell, the garbage and blood almost creating an overload to his sensitized sense of smell, but as he traversed the alleyway again, another smell hit him, making him pause.

Jasmine…

His eyebrows lowered in contemplation, creating a small mar on an otherwise flawless face. That smell did not belong in this alley, and yet surprisingly, it was coming from around the huge dumpster that occupied the alleyway. Sniffing more delicately, he followed the scent…and received a shock.

A child was kneeling on the ground with her face pressed against her knees. No, not a child, he noticed with another frown. A woman. And that delicate fragrance was coming from her. He slowly reached out a hand to touch her, but backed off when she raised her head and her blue eyes wildly met his golden ones.

She tried to back away from him frantically, forgetting that she was already against the wall, her breath heaving in pants and sobs from her fear. Her hands were held protectively in front of her, and her terrified scent filled the air, overwhelming him once again, causing him to let out a small growl.

Wide eyes fixed upon him in shock as she stilled. He stopped growling immediately as her fear receded when shock took it's place, and he reached into his pocket. The woman tensed again, but had a look of utter relief on her face when he pulled out his badge and show it to her.

"Miss, I'm Sesshoumaru Inutai with the Tokyo Police Department. Were you here this whole time?"

The woman stared at him for a few moments before wordlessly nodding.

"Are you all right, then?" he asked, his voice oddly soothing to her, and she nodded again. He frowned at her lack of voiced response.

"Can you tell me what happened here?"

Slowly, she shook her head, and he frowned again.

"Why not?"

No answer.

"Look," he said, showing the well renowned patience he was known for. "I'm sure you must be in a lot of shock right now, but you are safe. Nothing is going to hurt you here. But, two men are dead over there, and I know that you probably saw something, so I need you to tell me what happened tonight."

Her eyes became slightly agonized as her mouth moved soundlessly. He leaned in a bit closer to hear her, but still didn't receive a response. The woman closed her eyes instead.

Kagome didn't know what to do. How could she make him understand? There was only one thing to do, and pray that it worked.

Sesshoumaru stared curiously at the woman as she brought her hands from around her knees.

_I can't_.

Sesshoumaru froze when he recognized what she signed. When her hands came up, he didn't know what to expect, but it was definitely not to see her sign that she couldn't tell him what was going on. He wondered if it was fate that had brought him to this particular scene, as he shocked her in turn.

_Why not?_

The woman's eyes widened and filled with tears once again as she sagged against the wall. He understood her! He knew sign language!

Quickly, her hands began to move. _I'm mute. I use sign language to communicate. I'm so glad you're here!_ A few more tears trickled out of her eyes as she tried not to sob in relief.

His eyes softened minutely on her form as she opened her dark eyes to meet his once again.

_It's okay now_, he signed._ But for now, I'm going to need you to come with me._

He stood up, revealing his tall form, and held out a clawed hand to her. She stared at it a moment in awe before tentatively, before looking back up at him.

Only trembling slightly, she placed her hand in his.

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Okay, there is the first chapter! I know it's not much, but I will update soon. I hope everyone will like this new experiment story of mine. Like I said before, sign language fascinates me, and I wanted to have a story with that particular language in it. I hope it will be a success. As always, reviews and e-mails are MOST welcome, and all flames will be used to light all the cigarettes I will smoke during finals week.

Ja ne,

Mujits


	2. Communication

(A/N: wow, I've never had so many reviews for a first chapter. All of the reviewers frickin ROCK! Honestly, you guys totally made my day with your support and compliments. I'm updating sooner than expected because for one, I hate fanfics that have only one chapter, and two, when I get a story idea, the beginning comes to me pretty quickly. Just an early warning for this fic: Sesshoumaru is going to be slightly OC. Partly because this is an Alternate Universe fic and partly because he plays the role of an officer. Officers have the duty to protect the people, so he will seem a little nice and considerate in this chapter to Kagome. Don't forget though, he's a complete badass to his enemies. So, for your reading enjoyment, here is chapter two of "Speechless")

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and if I did, I would have dibs on Sesshoumaru.

Chapter Two

Communication

Sometimes it really sucked not being able to talk.

After the tall golden-eyed man helped her up, she signed to her that he would be right back and walked away briskly, leaving her along with the other officers and the dead bodies. She wrapped her arms around her torso as the officers ignored her and started discussing the bodies. They had assumed she was deaf, so their words were not censored, and they left no details overlooked.

"Do you see the cut on his neck?" A low whistle. "Cut clean. The skin is not even jagged at all."

"He sure bled like a bitch, though."

A hum of agreement. "Not as much as the other guy. I can't even begin to count how many slashes are on his face alone. His nose is practically hanging on by a thread."

"Neither of them will be able to have open caskets for the viewing."

Kagome was just about to throw her hands over her ears to keep their words out when her savior reappeared and threw a cold glare their way, causing them to swallow hard.

"Officers," he said, his voice startling Kagome yet again. His tone had so much power withing it, yet it was very low. Menacing without even meaning to be. "You know the rules about discussing the crime scenes in front of civilians."

"But she can't hear anyway," one protested, and his breath caught in the back of his throat as Sesshoumaru took a small step forward. As a physical move, it didn't seem all that impressive, but the officer took the lightly veiled warning to heart and shut his mouth.

"She's mute, not deaf. And she probably just saw whatever you were discussing take place right in front of her eyes, so kindly show her some respect." Although the words were polite, each man shivered at the look in the molten gaze that met them. They quickly bowed and stuttered apologies to the quiet woman, who nodded in acceptance gracefully.

Sesshoumaru turned back to the woman at his side, and held out the towel he had retrieved to place it around her shoulders. She gripped the ends gratefully and savored its warmth and dryness. She felt his intense gaze on her and met it with her own tired eyes.

"I know you are probably exhausted," his soft voice said. "But I will need you to come to the station with me and tell me what you saw. After that, we'll take you home."

She nodded wearily and took a step away. When he didn't follow her, she turned to look at him. He was staring at the two bodies on the ground, his jaw clenched slightly, and an unreadable emotion in his eyes. His face was eerily blank of all feelings, and it slightly gave Kagome the creeps. He looked…otherworldly. Just as soon as that thought crossed her mind, another entered as well.

She waved her hand at him to get his attention, and when she had his gaze on her once more, she moved her hands.

_Did you know them?_

At first it didn't seem like he was going to answer her, but he reluctantly replied, "They were men on my task force. My responsibility."

She made a fist with her hand and moved it in a circular motion over her chest. _I'm sorry._

He watched her in slight surprise as the sorrow filled her gaze, and he felt that her apology came from the bottom of her heart. Slightly disturbed by it, he asked briskly, "Shall we go?"

She nodded and she finally got to walk out of the wretched alley. She was met by the blinding flash of lights and the dull roar of a crowd that had gathered around. Before anything could be done, her picture was taken by every major newspaper and magazine company. Sesshoumaru muttered a curse under his breath that had her eyes widening and hurried her to his unmarked car. Shoving her quickly inside, he rounded to the driver's side and climbed in.

The ride to the station was deathly silent, partly because one could not make a sound and partly because one wished for the silence. The streets were almost completely deserted due to the late hour they were driving, and they made it to the headquarters in record time. Sesshoumaru climbed out of the car first and walked to open her door. She was slightly surprised when he took a hold of her elbow and escorted her inside, even opening the door for her. He led her down a few hallways before opening a door and giving her a gentle push inside.

_This must be his office,_ she thought to herself before she saw the nameplate on the desk. Sesshoumaru Inutai. She recalled one of the officers calling him Sesshoumaru and knew she was right.

"Take a seat, I'll return momentarily," he told her before stepping outside. She listened to the ticking of the clock on his desk in irritation. The noise was getting on her nerves, and it didn't help that she was in shock, cold, and shaking uncontrollably. Her mind flashed back to the alleyway, and she cradled her head in her hands. She couldn't believe she was ever in this situation. She hated being unable to make a sound, but it actually aided her when she heard the screams of the other man and screamed herself. Of course, no sound ever escaped her lips and for that she was thankful. Otherwise, she might be the third body lying in the alleyway.

Her breath hitched as she realized just how close of a call she had that night. She could have been killed just as easily. Her trembling increased as another soundless sob escaped her. She jumped when a hand landed on her back, causing her to gasp. She met the calm gaze of Sesshoumaru and relaxed again.

"Are you ready?" he asked, and awaited her nod. The sooner they got this part over with, the sooner he could get her home and out of his way. Her tears disturbed him greatly, especially when they pooled in her dark eyes. The shock was beginning to wear off, causing more normal reactions to kick in such as sorrow and fear. He could barely begin to imagine what she saw in those long hours, kneeling in the dark, but he knew it wasn't pretty. The scent of her terror permeated his office, and he wanted to make it go away and replace it with the calming and pleasant scent of jasmine that was lurking under the fear.

He took out the formal police report paper and a pen. When he knew she was ready he asked the first question.

"I need you to start from the beginning and tell me whatever you can remember about what happened in the alley, from when you first walked out of it to when I found you behind the dumpster."

Hesitantly at first, and then with growing speed, she signed what had drawn her to the alleyway, and how she watched the first man die at the hands of the dark-haired assailant. Her hands faltered slightly when she made a slashing motion with her hands, depicting the way the sword had sliced through the air.

"What did the two men look like? Be as descriptive as possible," Sesshoumaru interrupted, and Kagome began to sign what the men looked like. Sesshoumaru frowned as he recognized who had killed his men. _Hakudoushi…and Naraku. Damn it, I knew this was going to happen!_

He was so deep in thought that he almost missed what she signed next.

_Then the black-haired man left, leaving the other ones behind. He told his friend that he could do whatever he wanted to the other officer and then left. The other one…_her eyes closed as her hands slowed. _He took his time. He had a small knife with him and just…mutilated that poor man. The screams…I can still hear the screams in my head. He has no soul…_ She had to stop and take a deep breath before continuing. _After he was finished, he left too._

"Why didn't you leave as well?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Why didn't you call us?"

_I couldn't move. I thought that the men would come back, and even when I realized they weren't, I just froze up. I was so scared of what had happened._

Sesshoumaru nodded and finished writing some more notes down and looked up from one of the spaces he was supposed to fill. "I never got your name," he said, and she found her first smile of the night.

She fingerspelled her name for him first. K-A-G-O-M-E.

"Kagome," he repeated and nodded. "Name sign?"

Her hands both made the sign for the letter K and then made the motion of an archer pulling back an arrow. An eyebrow rose slightly in curiosity, and going on a hunch, Sesshoumaru allowed a bit of his youki leak out towards her, touching her senses.

A spark that was invisible pushed his youki back forcefully, and both of their eyes widened.

_What the hell just happened_, she signed furiously, her eyebrows drawn low over her eyes. Sesshoumaru regained his composure quickly. His suspicion was confirmed, but he was slightly surprised at the power she emitted. "You are a miko," he stated calmly.

_So?_

"An untrained one at that," he stated again. "Half of the amount of power you displayed right now should have taken care of my youki."

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. _So it's true,_ she signed excitedly. _You're a demon!_

He nodded. "Did you get your name sign because you're a miko?" he asked, changing the topic. She was too busy marveling at this new revelation that she almost didn't reply. She looked at the markings on his face, wondering if that stood for something. At first she had passed them off as tattoos, but now she wasn't so sure. But, they sure were beautiful She blushed as she realized she was staring and hurriedly answered.

_Yes. I found out I was a miko a few years ago and began trying to train. But it's a lost art, and the only thing I ever got good at was archery. I can't control my power._ Her eyes widened in consternation. _I didn't hurt you, did I?_

He shook his head. She looked so comically relieved that he had to suppress a small smirk.

_Thank you for tonight,_ she signed, lowering her eyes to the floor. _I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been able to understand me._

"It's not a problem," he said dismissively. "It must be frustrating not being able to be understood." She nodded and looked at him curiously.

_Do you work as a translator too? Is that why you sign?_

He shook his head once more. He was a bit hesitant to reply. "My…half-brother is deaf."

Kagome nodded understandingly. Switching the topic, she began to sign again. _Are we finished here?_

"Yes," he said, standing up. "I'll take you home now, if you wish."

She stood there, looking undecided. Reluctantly, her hands moved. _If you wouldn't mind, could you call my family? I live in an apartment across town, but I really don't want to be alone tonight_

Sesshoumaru nodded and waited as she signed the phone number to him. When a woman sleepily answered the phone, he explained the situation as best as he could without shocking the poor woman. Of course, her mother was worried regardless and he promised to get Kagome to her house as soon as possible.

_Thank you_, Kagome signed when he hung up the phone.

"You're welcome," he replied and held out a card to her. "If you need anything else or remember anything you didn't tell me tonight, this is my contact information. You'll need to write all of your contact information on the sheet I just filled out."

Kagome took the card from him and placed it in the pocket of her still damp skirt.

"Do that while I see to a few more things. I'll be right back," he said, and walked out of the office. By the time he returned, she was waiting patiently for him. "Ready?"

She nodded and followed him out of the office back into the car. The ride to her family shrine was again made in silence with only a few points in the right direction from Kagome. Finally, the car pulled into her driveway, and she could already feel tears welling up in her eyes as she saw her mother standing on the porch in a robe.

"Remember to call if you need or remember anything," Sesshoumaru said quietly, and she nodded as she fingered the card he gave her. As an almost second thought, she removed the towel that was still around her shoulders and handed it to him. His hands brushed against hers as he reached for it, and he took an inaudible breath at the slight spark he felt from her skin. What the hell was that about? But before he could even form a response to his own question, she had exited his car with a little wave of thanks and ran straight into her mothers arms, both already crying.

He pulled his car away from the scene and began the ride home._ Kagome_, he mused. A very strange woman. She had held together rather well for someone who had been traumatized. That showed great strength. And she didn't seem to be repulsed at all by the fact that he was a demon. Usually when someone figured it out, he was either treated to their fear or their disgust. He found he didn't care for either. But the woman…she didn't care at all. In fact, she seemed rather entranced and fascinated by it. Just as he was fascinated about her being a miko. He had thought their race died out a long time ago, but apparently he was wrong. He still felt the spark from when his skin met her. It wasn't…unpleasant.

He frowned as he realized he had made it all the way to his apartment without once having his thoughts stray from the strange miko. He didn't usually dwell on things, but he just couldn't get her out of his mind. He turned his thoughts to the case as he rode the elevator up to his floor.

That damn Naraku. His team had been after him forever, and tonight would only just renew their efforts. The renowned jewel trader had a reputation a mile long, and lived up to it. It was a well known fact that he was a hanyou and desired power above all else, but the police really took an interest when he stole a priceless artifact. The Shikon no Tama.

It was rumored once long ago to give a demon indescribable power, and Naraku proved the rumors to be true as he slowly made a name for himself in the criminal world as a ruthless bastard who had the strength of a full demon. But that would be no matter for Sesshoumaru. Naraku had personally insulted him tonight by killing his men, and Sesshoumaru would make sure to hunt him down and make sure he was adequately punished for his crimes.

A dark grin flittered over his lips as his eyes seemed to glow brighter. He would enjoy making sure of that promise.

He slipped his key in the lock and let himself into the two bedroom apartment. He realized that the TV was on in the living room and wandered in there to see his half-brother watching an action movie with subtitles floating along the bottom of the screen.

The hanyou must have sensed his presence by his smell and the vibrations of his feet across the floor, because the two dog-like ears on his head swiveled in his direction, regardless of the fact that they picked up no sound.

_Hey, asshole,_ Inuyasha greeted in sign as he never took his eyes from the screen. Sesshoumaru scowled as he realized he couldn't properly insult the twerp back if he wasn't looking at him. Picking up an empty Styrofoam cup that had once had ramen in it, he chucked it at the silver head of his brother without even trying to aim and hit him dead on.

Startled golden eyes so similar to his own met his across the room as a clawed hand rubbed where the offending cup hit him.

_What the hell was that for_, he signed angrily.

Sesshoumaru signed back lazily, _For being a bastard._

_Well, it's nice to see you two_. Sesshoumaru could clearly see the sarcasm on his brother's face, and a small smirk appeared. He walked away, leaving the hanyou seething on the couch with only an undecipherable noise escaping from his lips.

As he lay in bed that night, he couldn't help but think that the woman miko's hands were a lot more graceful when she signed than Inuyasha's.

He realized what he had just thought and mentally rolled his eyes while physically rolling over on his stomach and punching the pillow.

He really needed some sleep.

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Okay, everyone, there's your next chapter! I really hope you liked it. Just so you know, I'm only in my second year of ASL, and I'm still just a beginner. If there is anyone out there who notices if I make a mistake about the deaf culture or insult anyone, PLEASE let me now. I respect the deaf community so much, and I don't want to make a mistake.

(note) In ASL, there are name signs that are used to take the place of fingerspelling out the person's entire name. I haven't learned much about name signs yet, or how one would make a name sign, but I just worked with whatever I thought best to come up with Kagome's name sign. I just make her hands have a K shape to represent "Kagome" and then an archer drawing a bow to represent her archery. I hope that works. You will see Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's name signs soon.

Now, on to reviewer responses. As I said before, YOU GUYS ROCK! Especially those on A Single Spark. I don't usually get loads of reviews from there, but this time the majority of my reviews were from that site, so thank you so much, and please keep it up!

kAjIkItSuNe15: Here's your update, and thanks for taking the time to review!

Sheenachi: I'm glad you like it, and it won't be sad for very long. I'm going to try and put more humor and action in it in later chapters. Please keep reading!

Nomatter: Aww, thanks for your review. It really made my day.

Rawhead and Bloody Bones: Ah, a familiar name. I'm so glad you're reading this fic as well as my other one. I'm so glad you like how the story is going so far. I was a little bit wary about having a fic with sign language, but I thought, "What the hell? Just go for it." I'm glad I didn't disappoint you!

Mayu Asusuke: Yes, Kagome's a mute. I didn't want to make her deaf because otherwise she wouldn't be able to hear what Naraku and Hakudoushi was saying in the alley. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for your review!

Kittie le Sabre: Thank you very much. I'm glad you like my idea for this story. I was a little scared to post it, but every one seems to like it. That makes me happy. (does happy dance) Wow, now I know I'm tired. Ja!

Eternity Star Night: Thanks so much for taking the time to drop a note. I'm glad you like how it's turning out, and I will try and update soon. Review next time again!

RubyRoseOfTheBlackBlood: Yet another familiar face. That makes me so happy! Please keep reading the story, and I hope to hear from you again!

Huntress19: Thanks so much. I really hate to leave stories hanging, so I definitely will not be giving up on this story. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

LynGreenTea: Another buddy of mine. (strikes dramatic pose) You're familiar words fill my heart with joy and happiness. Those two words encourage me to be all that I can be… (falls over laughing) Man, I would die of shock if you ever wrote more than "write more". Honestly, you crack me up so much, I love it! Keep reading!

Dream Bandit: I hope to make it more interesting as time goes on. I hope you enjoy the rest of it!

Megan Consoer: You know, I've seen some of your reviews on mediaminer as well, and I notice that you also say the same thing every time you review. Hell, not that I'm complaining or anything! (grins) Thanks for the review, and of course I'll write more chapters. Enjoy!

Sasha: Oh, thank you so much! I'm really glad you reviewed and I hope you stay with this story.

BirkysSpy: Well, I do try to be original even if it is a cliché concept. I'm glad you are enjoying it. Please review again!

Kags21: I love to write stories that are different, and I'm glad you like it! Thanks for the review!

Meletina: Why, thanks so much! I'm really glad everyone liked the beginning of the story, and I hope the rest of it is just as good.

Katzztar: Man, you gave me such a great compliment. I never think I'm creative or original, even though I try, and your review made me very happy. Thank you so much.

Renee: You should so take sign language! It's one of the most fun things I've ever done! And by your comment about the detective thing, I'm assuming you're reading "For Richer or Poorer" right now? I'm actually studying English right now in college to become a teacher, but I also want to write on the side. I'm a big mystery buff, partly because I wanted to become a profiler last year, but then I decided I liked writing about the lives of cops more than I wanted to be one. I hope you keep with this story and review again!

StarZ: Of course you can be on my e-mail list! Well, duh since you probably got an e-mail about this already from me, but oh well! I'm so glad you like the story!

Me: I'm so glad you like it and took the time to review. Thanks a bunch!

FaythImmortal: Yay, such a great compliment! I'm really glad you like the story so much. I wouldn't stop writing it for the world!

Winghai: Thanks for your review, and I hope you keep reading! Don't give up on the story!

Kumiko-chan: I hope this is a soon enough update for you. (grins)

Like I said before, you guys are awesome. Please, I enjoy reviews so much. If you like the story, tell me, and if you don't, tell me why not. In a nice way please. I like constructive criticism, not insults, even though everyone is so nice that I've only ever gotten two of those out of all my fics. I love you all! Kisses!

Ja ne,

Mujitsu


	3. Violent Intentions

Disclaimer: How I wish I owned them, but I don't. It's a tragedy.

(A/N: Yay, a new chapter. Thank you everyone so much for all of your input and praise. I didn't know so many people out there were interested in sign language. I'm glad this story appeals to you. It seems like I just need to make clear that Kagome is MUTE, not deaf. She can still hear, but she cannot talk. Inuyasha is the one who cannot hear or talk. I just wanted to make that known. Enjoy this next chapter!)

A few people were confused about the whole name sign for Kagome being connected to a miko. I haven't really studied name signs all that much in my classes, but from the miniscule amount of knowledge I have, I tried to make a sign that symbolized Kagome. Her hands were in the shape of the letter "K" to symbolize her first name, and I had her mimicking the drawing of an arrow because she is a miko, and their weapon choice is a bow and arrow. It might not be the best name sign for her, and I might end up being embarrassed about it later on, along with the name signs of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, but that's the consequences with being an author. You have plenty of chances to look like a fool. I hope that cleared some things up, and if I confused you more…my sincerest apologies.

Chapter Three

Violent Intentions

Sesshoumaru roused from consciousness less than two hours later, fully awake. Being a demon, he only needed a few hours of sleep at night, unless he was truly exhausted or injured. He could hear Inuyasha moving around in the kitchen already, but loathed the thought of rising from his bed. His bedroom was his sanctuary, the place where he could be alone with his thoughts and problems. This morning, his mind reflected on his meeting with Kagome Higurashi. He admired her for being able to be in a difficult situation without completely falling apart, and was grateful to her for that because it made his job easier. He had a feeling he would see more of her, just for the plain fact that he was assigned to the case and he was one of the only ones in his department who could communicate easily with her.

He sensed Inuyasha moments before his younger brother banged loudly on the door, most likely because he knew it annoyed Sesshoumaru rather than it being from his hearing loss. The hanyou barged in without waiting for Sesshoumaru to answer the door, holding a bagel in one hand while the other signed, "You're on TV."

The older demon furrowed his brows as he gracefully stood up and walked into his living room, Inuyasha trailing behind. True enough, his face was plastered all over the screen, imposing and serious…along with the frightened face of Kagome Higurashi.

"Shit!" he exclaimed out loud, and Inuyasha, who was looking at his reaction, cocked an eyebrow in question. Sesshoumaru signed furiously, the hanyou barely able to keep up with his quick movements. "They showed her face on T.V. Now Naraku knows he has a witness. Do you know what that means for her?"

Inuyasha looked at the woman on the screen, and how scared she looked. "She witnessed the murder?" he signed, eyebrows drawn down. Sesshoumaru nodded. "Naraku's going to come after her, isn't he?"

Again Sesshoumaru nodded, and began cursing aloud. Inuyasha could read lips well enough to know that Sesshoumaru was royally pissed off. And Inuyasha was going to be the only one who knew of this side of his temper…everyone else just saw the frigid ice prince the rest of the time. Sesshoumaru picked up a glass that was sitting on the table and hurled it at the wall across the room, creating a huge dent because of the strength that went behind the throw. Inuyasha was glad he couldn't hear anymore because that was sure to have caused a ruckus. Yep…definitely pissed. He waved his arms to get attention.

"How long do you think it will take before Naraku knows who she is?"

Sesshoumaru took a deep cleansing breath before he began to sign. "It's still early in the morning, but this has probably been running since last night. He'll know who she is, where she lives, who her family is, and where her closest friends live by mid-afternoon. He has connections everywhere."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Sesshoumaru started pacing the room, needing desperately to think. Naraku had been a thorn in his side for a few years now, and Inuyasha was well informed of all of the cases against him. Sesshoumaru occasionally bounced ideas off of him, knowing that Inuyasha was indeed very smart about these kinds of things. He would have made an excellent officer himself if he hadn't lost his hearing. He noticed Inuyasha waving at him again.

"Why don't you just send an officer to get her?"

Sesshoumaru paused, and then immediately rejected the idea. "She's mute, Inuyasha. She can only sign to communicate."

Inuyasha's eyebrows raised in surprise. A mute, huh? Pretty interesting. "She can write what she wants to say," he argued.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "That will just be frustrating for both her and the officer. It will be faster if I just deal with it. Plus, she knows me." _And trusts me…_ he added mentally, hoping that was true. She would need to trust him if he was going to get her out of this mess.

He quickly walked to the phone and dialed the station, explaining the situation. His superior agreed with his plans and told him to contact them when he was safe with Kagome. Naraku was well known throughout Japan, and if he knew that Kagome witnessed him murdering police officers, there would be no doubt that he would come after her.

He hung up the phone and walked into his room to dress. He had to hurry if he was going to reach her on time, before Naraku's men found her first. Walking back into the living room, he gathered up his coat as Inuyasha waved to gain his attention once more. "Where are you going to take her?" he signed.

Sesshoumaru froze. Where the hell was he going to take her? He shrugged elegantly. "I'll think about that when she's with me."

Inuyasha gave him a strange look that screamed, _good idea, Sherlock_, but Sesshoumaru didn't care. He would worry about the details after he knew she was safe. He finished gathering his things and grabbed his car keys. He didn't have a weapon to take with him. He didn't need one. His reputation as one of the strongest demons was not made up of rumors. He was faster than any bullet, had a whip that was more precise than any knife, and poison that he would control at will. Besides, the sound of guns firing hurt his sensitive hearing, and he preferred to go without them.

He left his apartment and began the drive to the Higurashi shrine, only to find out that she wasn't there.

"What!" he asked her mother, trying to control the volume of his voice.

"She went to work," Mrs. Higurashi said. "She left about twenty minutes ago."

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists. Who goes to work this early in the morning? That damned woman was going to get herself killed!

"Where does she work?"

Before she could answer, his eyes narrowed sharply and he held up a hand to quiet her. "Mrs. Higurashi, how many people live in this household?" he asked quietly.

She gave him a questioning look and answered, "Myself, my father, my son, and Kagome occasionally."

"Stay here," he said, and before she could blink, he was off the porch.

Someone else was here, he could smell it. He had no doubt that Naraku's network had already revealed the location of the Higurashi shrine. He just had to be thankful that Kagome wasn't here to greet whatever lackey Naraku had sent after her. He scoured the area around the house, but the scent was fading, as if the intruder had already left. He loped back to the porch, where Mrs. Higurashi was still standing, looking slightly frightened.

"Did Kagome tell you what happened last night?" he asked shortly. The older woman nodded. "Good, then you know why she is in danger now. The press has her face over every major television network as a witness to a murder committed by one of the most dangerous criminals in Japan. I need to find her and get her to safety. I'm also going to arrange to have your family taken somewhere safe as well. If he can't get to her, there is no doubt that he would go after her family to make a point. Do you understand?"

Again, the woman nodded, and Sesshoumaru was thankful that she had a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn't panic, even though he could smell the fear radiating off of her; she would do what was asked. "Where does Kagome work?"

"At the school of the deaf downtown. She teaches History there."

He nodded and gestured her to go back inside. "Go and pack some things, and tell the rest of your family. Close and lock the doors until someone comes for you. They must show a badge to you through the peephole and say that they were sent by Detective Inutai."

She nodded again, and he turned away, already reaching for his cell phone. "Detective?"

He turned and looked at Kagome's mother. "Take care of her. She was so thankful that you were there for her last night, and I know she will really need you right now."

He nodded once briefly, and hurried back to his car. By what Mrs. Higurashi had said, he had only missed Kagome by twenty or thirty minutes. He should find her in no time.

Four hours later, the calm and composed Sesshoumaru was about ready to kill something. Preferably Kagome Higurashi herself that way he wouldn't have to worry about Naraku. When he had reached the deaf school, he had searched the whole campus for the elusive woman, only to find out from the administrators that she had asked for the day off to rest in her apartment. They had seen the news and granted her wish. After getting her home address from the administration, with much persuading and using his influence as an officer, he rushed all the way across Tokyo to her small apartment, finding it empty. A neighbor who was close to Kagome had told them that Kagome had left earlier, looking like she was going to go for a walk. Sesshoumaru had cursed aloud then, causing the elderly woman to gape at him in shock.

Kagome's scent still lingered in the hallway, but it was fading fast, and he had to use all of his demonic capabilities to follow her scent around the neighborhood. He would catch it only to lose it as crowds filtered in and out of the streets. He had never been so frustrated in his life. Time was running out, and if he didn't find her soon, Naraku would. He couldn't, wouldn't, let that happen. Her scared eyes just kept coming up before his eyes, and he knew what Naraku would do to her if he didn't help her. Failure was not an option.

His head snapped up once more as he caught the scent of jasmine. There! About a block in front of him…he quickened his steps.

She was standing in front of a store, debating whether or not to go in, when she felt a forceful jerk at her elbow. Before she knew what was happening, she was pulled into a dark alleyway and was momentarily blinded. Her eyes didn't have time to adjust before something slammed her into the wall, making her see stars. She couldn't even cry out. When her vision cleared, she saw a man in front of her…no, not a man. This…this, _thing_ in front of her was surely not a man. Its face was long and hideous, its features doing a mock image of a human, but Kagome knew that this thing was anything but. His bulk was pressing her against the stone, taking away her breath, and its rancid breath panted in her face. She tried to struggle, to make as much noise as she could using her surroundings, but it wasn't working. The beast in front of her was too strong. It raised its hand and she could see long talons covering the fingertips, ready and poised to cut into her flesh. She closed her eyes, tears flowing as she knew she was about to die.

She felt a rush of wind pass by, and no longer felt the imposing presence in front of her. Her eyes flew open only to see a very deadly looking demon being held by the throat against the wall by a lethal looking silver-haired youkai. Sesshoumaru looked…primal. It was the only word to describe it. Lips were drawn back to show sharp fangs, and he was growling menacingly as he held the other demon in a death grip.

Sesshoumaru would have killed him right then if Kagome hadn't been standing behind him. He had been about twenty feet away from her when he saw the low-level demon grab her, and he had raced after them, his youki flaring in challenge. But now, the other demon had already lost consciousness, giving Sesshoumaru no pleasure. He let the baggage drop to the ground and wiped his hands in disgust on his trousers. Quickly, he turned and grabbed Kagome's hand, dragging her out of the alley and in the direction of her apartment. Only when they were inside her small home did he stop and let her catch her breath.

"What is going on?" she signed furiously.

He wasted no time in telling her that her life was in danger, and that she would be coming with him. "As you saw," he said. "Naraku is already stalking you."

Her eyes widened and he heard her intake of breath, but didn't pause. "You must come with me. You'll be safer that way."

"Where?"

"I don't know yet. We just need to get away from here. Start packing."

She nodded and headed to her bedroom, but suddenly stopped and turned around. "What about my family?"

"They are safe. I took care of them this morning." She smiled in relief and he waved his hands, telling her to get a move on. She quickly did his bidding, grabbing a bag and stuffing clothes inside. She could barely believe this was happening. Just yesterday, she had been a normal woman, and now she was running from a murderer and being under the protection of a practical stranger. But, she couldn't help but trust Sesshoumaru. He was the only one who could help her right now.

Just as she zipped up her bag, he rushed into her room, closing the door soundlessly behind him.

"What's going on?" she signed, her eyebrows lowered in confusion. He signed back at her, refraining from using his voice.

"Two of them are on their way up here." Her eyes widened in panic, and the spike in her scent made him want to growl. He glanced quickly around her bedroom. There was no way to go out the window because it was too small. He would just have to take care of the demon's himself. He needed to get her out of the apartment first. The noise of her front door crashing open crushed his plan of using stealth.

He looked at her, crushing her bag to her chest as she tried to keep from trembling, and signed, "You have to trust me."

She nodded and walked to his side. "When I give the signal, I'm going to open the door and you are going to run. Don't look back. Do you understand?"

Her eyes grew even larger. He just looked calmly at her, waiting for her reply, and she knew she really had to put her faith in him to get her out of this mess. Shakily, she nodded her head.

He stood still, listening carefully, and determined that the two demons were in the kitchen, which was off to the side of the living room, away from the front door. Perfect…

He held up his hand, telling her to get ready. Before she knew what was happening, he threw open the door and she just let her instinct carry her, running as fast as she could to safety.

Sesshoumaru smiled as she ran, and allowed his youki to flow out a little bit, giving the two startled demons in the kitchen a small taste of his power. He walked out of the room calmly, an unnatural wind making his hair swirl around him as his power flowed out and filled the room. The two in the kitchen who had started to run after Kagome stopped in their tracks and turned slowly to face the ethereal being that was prowling towards them.

Kagome knew Sesshoumaru said not to look back, but when she felt a burst of power stronger than any she had ever sense before, she had to look back at who caused it. Seeing Sesshoumaru slowly stalk his prey, looking so dangerous and feral, almost caused her heart to stop beating. She had to stand in awe of him. He gracefully lifted one hand to his side, and two claws started glowing a bright, fluorescent yellow. With two flicks of his hand, the demons were cut in half and dissipated in a cloud of ash.

Slowly, the contrived wind around him died down and he turned to face her with an annoyed look. "I thought I told you to run," he said in an arrogant voice, and she had to shake herself out of her stupor.

"I'm sorry," she signed, noticing that her hands were shaking. "Now what?"

He frowned slightly. "Since they already know where you live, they must have seen my car parked out front. We can't take the risk of using that and driving somewhere, because we would just be followed."

"So what do we do?"

"We have to sneak out of the building. Does this apartment have access to the roof?"

She nodded and began walking to the stairwell quickly. He followed her up the stairs and out the doorway to the roof. He sniffed the air cautiously, and knew that there were more demons waiting for them in the direction of his car. He couldn't take her to the station, because they would already be staked out there. He would need a temporary safe house, where he could stay with her, and sighed with what that meant. She was staring at him expectantly when he hunched over slightly. "Get on my back," he said, and she stared at him in shock.

He saw her look and sighed mentally. "We can travel faster if I run, and we won't be detected. I will carry you."

She shook her head, and he sighed aloud. "This is the only way, Kagome." He turned again. "Now, get on."

She sighed herself, knowing that he was right, and approached his tall frame warily. She was glad her bag was like a backpack, and slung it over her shoulders as she shyly placed her arms around his neck. Blushing, she hopped up and he grabbed her thighs securely before walking to the edge of the roof. It frightened her slightly, seeing the city from so high up, but before she could get really scared, he just muttered a, "Hold on," before leaping off the edge.

She closed her eyes and tightened her limbs around him, feeling the ground rushing up to meet them. He was going to get them killed. But the expected collision never came, and she realized they were still moving. She cautiously opened one eye and gasped again, opening both eyes to look around her completely. They were almost flying! The buildings were passing by faster than she could see, and he was jumping from rooftop to rooftop effortlessly, not even breathing hard. She relaxed her grip on him slightly as she realized she wasn't about to die, and instead trying to decipher where he was taking her. But, he was moving to fast for her to tell, and she just decided to enjoy the ride.

Minutes later, he landed on another rooftop gracefully and gently lowered her to the ground. She had to wait a second for her legs to support her, and when the jellylike feeling went away, she followed him through a door.

"Where are we?" she signed.

"My apartment building," he replied and she almost stopped in shock. He brought her to his home? She knew he had to think of something on short notice, but putting his own home in danger was just unthinkable. And didn't he say he had a brother? What could he be thinking?

Apparently, he had the whole floor to himself because there were no other doors in the hallway save one, and that was the one he opened. He must have been incredibly rich to own such a big home.

She watched as he went to the light switch on the wall, and began flicking them on and off. She knew he was trying to get someone's attention, and when she saw another man enter from one of the rooms, she realized that he was probably Sesshoumaru's deaf brother. She couldn't help but notice the striking similarities between the two. The eyes, the hair, but this man didn't have any marking on his face, and he had…the _cutest_ pair of puppy-ears on the top of his head. Kagome did a double-take when she saw those, and wanted to just run up and rub them to see if they were as soft as they looked.

She snapped out of her daze as she realized the puppy-eared man was signing wildly to Sesshoumaru, a belligerent look upon his face. Her face reddened when she realized he had a very unique vocabulary.

"Why the fuck did you bring her here, asshole? Are you stupid? There are other places you could have taken her!"

Sesshoumaru ignored his brother by looking away and turned to Kagome. He began talking, knowing it irritated Inuyasha when he spoke instead of signed in his presence. "Kagome, this is my younger half-brother, Inuyasha. Ignore him."

Inuyasha slammed his hands upon the wall to get Sesshoumaru's attention. "Don't ignore me, you prick."

Sesshoumaru began to sign. "Inuyasha, this is Kagome. Please do try and show some manners in front of her. She's been through enough as it is, she doesn't need your temper to add through it."

Inuyasha had the grace to flush guiltily, recalling that Sesshoumaru had informed him that this woman had witnessed two murders. He took a good look at the meek looking woman standing next to Sesshoumaru's intimidating presence, and grudgingly waved a hello.

"It's nice to meet you," she signed back. "Are you a demon too?" she couldn't help adding. Inuyasha scowled while Sesshoumaru bit back a laugh. Inuyasha reluctantly nodded no.

"Inuyasha is half-demon," Sesshoumaru informed her before grabbing her elbow and leading her to one of the rooms. It smelled of him, and she knew that this was his room. "You can set your things here and stay here for now."

"What about you?" she signed, not wanting to impose.

"Inuyasha is grown enough to share his room," he replied steadily, although wincing on the inside at the thought of sharing a room with the brute. She nodded. "I'll leave you to get settled then," he said, and closed the door behind him.

He saw Inuyasha about to speak as soon as he walked out of the room and held up a hand to stave him off. "Not now, brother. I'm not in the mood."

He sat the on the couch and Inuyasha sat across from him, glaring. Kagome came out of his room a few moments later and sat next to Sesshoumaru, and then Inuyasha's glare alternated back and forth between them. Sesshoumaru ignored him and closed his eyes, unconcerned, but Kagome bit her lower lip in worry.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Okay, there's another chapter for you all. Some people who are knowledgeable in sign language have wondered why I don't have Kagome and Inuyasha actually use the sign words, but then you realized why not. It just flows in the story a little bit better to write, "My name is Kagome," than, "I-Kagome-I," as you would if you were signing it. I also just want to let everyone know that this will not be a long story. It started as just an experiment, and I honestly don't have a lot of ideas for it. So, unless I get more inspiration, there will actually only be a few more chapters. Which I might actually like. I hate incredibly long stories, and it would be nice to have this one short and sweet. But, who knows, things could change. Now, for reviewer responses:

Inuyasha's mate: Wow, I received all of your reviews for all of my stories, and I just wanted to thank you so much. You should so be the president of my fanclub! LOL! I kid, I kid, I'm not a good enough writer to have a fanclub, but all of your encouragements totally brightened my day. So does this mean I should start calling myself Sesshoumaru's Mate? I mean, you did say that Sesshoumaru belonged to me. And what a great thought that is. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and I hope to hear from you again!

Corin: No problem about the review. I'm glad you like the story and I hope you keep reviewing. Question: what does NYOW mean? LOL!

Bringme2lyfe: Thank you for this compliment. I like Sesshoumaru as nice too! He's going to be a lot nicer in this fic than in my other ones, but he's still going to be a kick-ass demon too! I hope you liked this chapter!

Moonwave: Oh, don't feel bad, sweetie, about not getting the first reviewer spot. I know you wanted it in your heart, so that's all that counts! LOL! I hope you liked this one!

Artemisgirl: Thank you so much! I always think I have problems with character portrayal, but your review gave me much needed confidence! I hope you liked this chapter!

Ruth: Why thank you. I hope things are going well for you. I'm glad that you love this fic as much as my other ones. Thanks for being one of my most favorite and faithful reviewers.

Aurora17: thank you, I try so hard to be original in my stories. I hope you like it!

Jadefeather: thank you so much for your review. I hope this chapter pleased you!

Arcander: Ah, another one of my most favorite reviewers! I'm glad you took time to read this. I know how classes are, and I hope yours are going better than mine! LOL! College sucks sometimes…

MidnightGoddess: here is the third chapter like you asked! I'm sorry it took me awhile to get out. I kind of received some bad reviews for a story I wrote in my creative writing class, and I lost my confidence to write. Otherwise, this chapter would have been out days ago, but I just thought it wasn't good enough, or I wasn't good enough. Anyway, I'm out of that funk and back to writing. I hope I didn't disappoint!

Megan Consoer: Here are some more chapters! Hope you liked them.

Munchkinangel: thanks for the compliments. Originality is very important to me, and while I might use some clichés, I try to personalize them. I'm glad someone appreciates it!

MFleetwood24: Wow, I've never had one of my stories called "spellbinding" before. Thanks so much!

kAjIkItSuNe15: Awww, I'm glad to be on your alert list. Makes me feel honored. Thanks so much!

i-wish-i-was-kagome: Thank you so much for your review. I really appreciate them so much! I hope you like this chapter!

Crystal Koneko: Ha, I loved what I had Inuyasha sign to Sesshoumaru too! I just had a sudden urge to write that, and it sounded great with the story, so I left it in. I'm glad you liked it. I try to have a little bit of fun in the midst of all my seriousness!

Kill-All-Flamers: Hah, I love your penname. I hope the explanation at the top helped clarify Kagome's name sign. I haven't really learned a lot about name signs yet, so I know I probably embarrassed myself, but, oh well. I think it's cool that you can sign to your friend. I'm only in my second semester of sign language, and I'm only okay at it. I hope you liked this last chapter!

Kags21: Here's the next chapter for you. I hope you liked it!

BirkysSpy: I know, I love Sesshoumaru's smile. I use it a lot in my stories just because whenever I see him smile in the anime or manga, I get the shivers. I'm glad I have a fellow, er, "shiverer" to appreciate that! Thank you so much for your totally awesome review!

Tora: Okay, I know that whenever anyone uses "OMFG" in their review, that means they liked it, so thank you! I say that a lot myself when I'm happy, especially online. I'll always go, "OMFG, yay!" My friends think I'm crazy, but so are they, so it's all good!

Me: Just the fact that you left a little note makes me happy. I hope you review again!

Julia: Oh, wow, you're going to become an interpreter! I kind of want to do that too, if I'm good enough. Thank you for your telling me more about name signs! I kind of felt strange about using the whole sarcasm thing, because I'm a very sarcastic person, so whenever I try to do it in sign, it fails. (hangs head in shame) But I figured, okay, It's Inuyasha. And as the story will tell you later, Inuyasha was not born deaf, so he didn't grow up in that culture. Thank you so much for the info you shared and helping me out! I hope you liked this last chapter!

Dark Teenage Angel: Thanks for the review!

Lamb-Chopz: thank you so much for your review. It's nice to hear that I'm one of the more decent sess/kag stories you've had in a while. "For Richer or Poorer" will be updated soon. I plan to start working on the next chapter after this. Below, I'll have a schedule of my updates, so you know! Thanks again for your review!

Yashanfluffy: no, not the same at all (shakes head) it's very sad. I think it's cool that you named your fish that, though. Made me laugh!

Crystal C.: Thank you so much for your advice and information. I was thinking about putting in the syntax of sign language, but like you said, it would confuse some people. Hell, it confuses me sometimes! Anyway, thank you so much for offering your help, and for your review. I'm glad you like this story!

AloneInMyRoom: I know, sign language has always fascinated me too. I just find it to be a beautiful language, and it's so much fun to learn! I'm so glad you like this story, and I hope you review again!

Noacat: I think I've thanked you countless times already, but hey, what's one more? Thank you so much for pointing out my error so I could fix it. You rock!

Meletina: Aw, thanks so much! I'm glad you like this story!

LynGreenTea: (falls on the floor laughing)

Kougafan4eva: I'm so glad this story speaks to you. I'm surprised by how many people are embracing this story, and I thank you for it very much! And thanks for putting me on your favorites! That makes me happier than anything!

RubyRoseOfTheBlackBlood: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks so much for being a faithful reviewer!

Mirage and Mirokiki: Thank you so much for that review. You really cheered me up!

Rawhead and Bloody Bones: Go feminine Power! I completely agree. I'm going to have so much fun with the whole sexual tension! (imagines sexual tension between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru and shudders) Oh, gross. Thanks for clarifying that.

Sasha: I'm glad I have you hooked. I hope you liked this chapter!

1kenshinlover: I don't have a name sign either. I would have no clue what it would be either. I'm glad this story idea appeals to you. Review again, please!

Anonymous person: thank you! I hope you review again!

Kagome15: I'm glad you love this story. I always try to bring new ideas to the fanfiction world. Please review again!

Okay, kiddies, there you go. I just want to say (ahem) ATTENTION ALL READERS! I AM GOING TO CREATE AN UPDATING SCHEDULE FOR MYSELF, STARTING NOW, AND JUST PRAY THAT I FOLLOW IT. IT WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

"Speechless" will be updated every other Friday. I usually do all of my work after midnight, so it will probably show up on Saturday morning, but that's how it is.

"For Richer or Poorer" or as it is now being fondly called "FROP" will be updated every other Saturday. Again, it will probably show up along the lines of Sunday morning. This way I have a week to work on each story. If this works out, I will keep it like this. If school gets to hectic or if my life falls apart like it's been feeling recently, I will let you all know.

Much thanks again to all of my reviewers, you are the only reason why I continue to write, because Lord knows I don't have any confidence in myself. Hugs and kisses to you all!

Ja,

Mujitsu.


	4. Hunting

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, deaf or otherwise. Hee, hee!

A/N: I'm so sorry that I haven't kept up with my updating schedule. I guess that didn't work out. (scratches head sheepishly) Um, all I can say is that it's midterms right now…I have one tomorrow morning, in fact. Also, my parents came to visit, which was a nightmare. But, life goes on and I still have a story that's been neglected, so without further ado, the next chapter!

Chapter Four

Hunting

Kagome awoke to the sunlight pouring over her, in a place she didn't recognize. But, it sure smelled nice…clean, fresh…masculine. Her eyes popped completely open, and she looked around the room. That's right, she was in Sesshoumaru's home…hiding away from a madman.

Naraku…

She didn't even know the hanyou, and yet he was still after her life because she was a witness to his crimes. How long would it take for him to find her? How long would she have to be stuck in this place not knowing if her family was safe or if she would make it through unharmed? How long of living with total strangers, no matter how much they wanted her safe? She buried her head in her hands, and let the tears come.

No sooner had she started when the door flew open and Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway, one hand up with claws bared. He looked ready for battle. She was so shocked, she stopped crying and just stared. She felt a little jolt of electricity flow through her when he locked eyes with her, and gave herself a little shake.

Sesshoumaru quickly realized that there was no danger. He had smelled her tears and her distress from the floor of Inuyasha's room, and was up in a flash to defend her, but all he found was her sitting in the middle of his bed, hands in her lap and her lower lip trembling dangerously. It sparked something in him to see her like that, so vulnerable and scared, and without thinking, he walked over to her and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.

She watched him through lowered lashes as he tenderly touched her face, and felt her heartbeat speed up. What was wrong with her? She had known him for a grand total of one day, but he was making her feel things…she had never really felt before. As if he realized what he was doing, he abruptly pulled back, almost making her sigh in disappointment. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He leaned against the wall outside of his door, and lowered his head. What the hell had just happened? He could hear it when her heartbeat sped up, and he felt his beating in time with hers. He hadn't felt that way since…since ever. He wasn't too sure if he liked it either.

He growled softly to himself and rubbed his eyes. He didn't get any sleep last night, which wasn't a problem. The problem was every sound he heard, every scent that was unfamiliar to him set his youki stirring, and it always turned out to be nothing important. He hated this part of the game. The waiting around, wondering when the enemy was going to strike. It was irritating to him, and he wanted nothing more than to just leave now and hunt Naraku down.

His door opened and Kagome poked her head out the frame, jumping a little when she saw Sesshoumaru standing right there.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked, and she nodded. She followed him into the kitchen.

"You don't have to make it, I can," she signed, and he nodded. After showing her what there was, he left to grab some clothes from his room and take a shower, trying to ignore the woman pattering in the kitchen. He quickly washed himself and tied his long tresses into a low ponytail before exiting the bathroom, only to run into Inuyasha. The hanyou had a sleepy, dazed look on his face as he sniffed the air repeatedly. Lazily, he signed, "Who cooked ramen?"

Sesshoumaru too, sniffed the air and let a wry smile cross his face. "Kagome must have decided she didn't have very many options for breakfast."

"It's fine with me." Obviously, Inuyasha was quite happy about the breakfast arrangement, and it was amusing to see the hanyou practically be led by his nose to the kitchen, where Kagome greeted him with a smile. She handed him a big bowl of ramen, which he snatched up greedily and began inhaling. It seemed that any problems Inuyasha might have had with Kagome staying at his house were vanishing with every bite he took. Sesshoumaru sat down as well, exchanging insults with Inuyasha occasionally, and enjoying the peace.

Soon, however, he placed down his chopsticks waved for attention. "Kagome is going to stay here today while I go to work," he signed quickly, wanting to get this over with. "Inuyasha, you will stay here and keep an eye on things, and on her."

As expected, there was a moment of stillness before all hell broke loose, figuratively speaking. Kagome, surprisingly was the first to argue. She slammed her hands on the table, causing Inuyasha to jump at the vibrations it caused, and Sesshoumaru looked at her coolly.

"I do not need a baby-sitter," she furiously signed, her face prettily flushed with anger and her eyes a stormy blue. Sesshoumaru ignored the heat in his gut at the sight. What the hell was wrong with him?

Inuyasha chose that moment to break in. "And how am I supposed to stay here and protect her?" he signed, giving a derisive look. "I can't even hear!"

Sesshoumaru wanted to close his eyes at Inuyasha's insecurities. You would think after more than a century of being deaf, he would get over his inability to hear. Sesshoumaru looked at him with a bored face. He pointed in an exaggerated fashion to his nose, signaling to Inuyasha that even if he couldn't hear, he still had his sense of smell. Inuyasha sat back with a pout, the message loud and clear.

Kagome began to sign again, but Sesshoumaru didn't want her to continue arguing so he turned his back on her. He was startled when he felt a balled up rag hit the back of his head, causing him to whirl around. Inuyasha stared with wide-eyes at Kagome, who was glaring at Sesshoumaru.

"Do not turn your back on me," Kagome signed furiously. "I can't talk to you." Sesshoumaru was about to give back a biting retort, but noticed how behind the anger in her eyes, there were tears forming. She didn't like being ignored and unable to communicate, and anything he would have said died off at that look in her eyes. Inuyasha had averted his gaze after that, never comfortable with tears, and Sesshoumaru let out a sigh.

Couldn't she see that he just wanted her safe? "Kagome," he said gently, more gently than she had ever heard him talk before, and she blinked, her tears forgotten. "I need you to stay here for me. If you come with me, there is more chance that Naraku will find you. Do you understand?"

She wanted to argue with him some more, and even lifted her hands to do so, but they plopped down uselessly after a moment. What was the point? She let out a sigh and nodded, and he gave a small smile that had her heart jumping. Inuyasha looked back now, sensing that the situation was safe. It was going to be an interesting day…

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An hour later, Sesshoumaru stood in his captain's office, quickly summarizing his report of yesterday's events.

"You've been quite busy, haven't you, Sesshoumaru?" his captain said with a wry grin. Sesshoumaru didn't reply. "I have her family out of the city by now, and Naraku won't want to go that far to get to her if he knows she's still in the city. I have a few safe houses set up close to here if you wanted to have your apartment free again."

Sesshoumaru was taken slightly aback at his reluctance to accept his offer. Kagome's face early this morning, and then at breakfast, with tears in her eyes filled his mind's vision. The thought of leaving her alone…unprotected without him. _But, she wouldn't be unprotected_, his reason argued. _The safe houses are close to the station with officers surrounding it at all times. She'll be safe there._

His chief seemed to sense his hesitation and offered, "You can check out the area and see if they are safe from Naraku's influence. You would be able to know more than any other officer."

Sesshoumaru considered the proposal. Its true that as a demon, he had a distinct advantage over his fellow officers, and he would be able to tell if Naraku's sight had reached the houses. Besides, it would help take out some of his frustration if he happened to meet any of Naraku's men along the way.

He gave a succinct nod and left the room. He was glad his car was still in front of Kagome's apartment. He would be noticed too easily, and he wouldn't be able to use stealth if he had a car. He only had one to try and fit in with the humans of this time.

He would be able to hide his scent and travel faster without it. Grinning darkly, he shot to the rooftop and began flying across the streets, faster than the eye could see. It was hunting time…

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After Sesshoumaru left, Inuyasha and Kagome were left, staring awkwardly at each other. The ramen was gone, giving them nothing to do with their hands, and they both felt uncomfortable around each other. Finally, Kagome could stand the silence no more. The ticking of the wall clock was beginning to drive her nuts.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" she signed tentatively. He shook his head no. "What about a board game?" Another shake. She sighed. "What about a card game?" Before he could shake his head no, she broke in, "I need to do _something_, or I'm going to go crazy!"

He stared at her with those intense eyes of his, and finally let out a little sigh of his own. He gestured for her to go get the cards, saying that they were in the hall closet, and blinked when a big grin broke over her face. She hurried to grab a deck and brought them to the living room table, where Inuyasha had taken a seat.

"What do you want to play?" he signed, for once taking the initiative to speak to her. Kagome pursed her lips in thought.

"I've always liked the game "speed". My friend taught it to me once. Do you know how to play?"

He shook his head no, and she took a few minutes to teach him the rules of the game. She dealt the cards and tried to hide a smirk. Usually when people play "speed" for the first time, they lose, and it would be nice to win against the hanyou.

When all the cards were dealt and everything was ready, she lifted up her hand and counted to three, signaling the beginning of the game. Soon, her mouth was gaping open in shock.

Never take on someone who has super-human speed in a game of…well, "speed". Inuyasha's hands were moving faster than her eye could see, and the game was done less than ten seconds later. He had a smug smile on his face at her jaw slacked expression.

"Another game?" he signed, a fang poking out of his lip, and she shook her head no. They settled down to play another, calmer, card game, and time began to pass pleasantly. There was only one distraction for Kagome throughout the time she spent with Inuyasha.

Those damn ears….

They were just so…inviting. Unexpected. _Cute._

It was amusing to see them twitch whenever he felt the vibrations of her hand tapping her fingers on the table. He couldn't hear, but he could sense it. She frowned.

"Were you born deaf?" she signed, knowing her question was blunt, but she wanted to know. She watched as he stiffened in surprise and a flash of emotion cross his face before he looked back down at his cards. His head moved in a jerky fashion as he motioned the negative to her question.

"Were you sick when you were younger?" she pressed, curiosity burning at her. Again, another no. _He's certainly not one for words,_ she thought wryly.

He could still feel her eyes on him, and he resisted the urge to squirm. He was always uncomfortable when it came to his ears…but the questioning look in Kagome's eyes let him know that she really wanted to find out what happened.

Nonchalantly he shrugged, and began to sign, putting his cards down for the moment. Kagome laid hers down too and paid rapt attention to his hands.

"Well, I guess the first thing you should know is that demons live a long time, much longer than that of a human. I am actually over five hundred years old, and I'm sure even Sesshoumaru has lost count of his own age." He ignored the shocked look on her face and pressed onward, averting his eyes. "In the past, humans weren't as accepting as they are now of demons, and far hanyou, it was even worse. I didn't belong to either race, and neither race wanted me. However, my mother was a human, and I grew up in her village until she died…." His hands faltered a little, but he still didn't look at her as he continued his story.

"Sesshoumaru and I were not around each other at this time, and I had no one to take care of me. No one was there when the villagers decided to make a human out of me."

Kagome's hands had gone to her mouth in disbelief as she noticed the way Inuyasha's jaw tensed. She suddenly didn't want to know the rest…

"Even though I was strong, I was only a child, and they had a lot of men. I wasn't able to get away…" he trailed off and seemed to look almost helpless for a moment. Then his face hardened at his memories and he jerked a finger to the innocent looking appendages atop his head. His face returned back to that of uncaring before he signed almost casually, "They tried to cut them off. They succeeded. Because demon's regenerate when it comes to certain body parts, my ears grew back a few months later, but the humans did too much damage. That's how I became deaf."

His head snapped up as he smelled the salty acidic scent of tears, and found Kagome looking at him with wide, doe-like eyes. "That must have been horrible," she signed, more tears leaking out the side of her eyes.

His own eyes widened at the sight. _She's…she's CRYING for me?_ His brain couldn't really get around that thought until another thought screamed its way into his mind. A crying female…right across from him…oh, shit. He practically jumped up and held his arms out as if saying, "It's okay, stop crying."

The look was so priceless, she immediately stopped crying and began giggling. He seemed to relax and sat down again with a tentative smile. To just get off the topic completely, he waved his arms to continue their game, and they did, but she didn't forget about it. Not remotely. After all, who could forget the look on his face when he told her what those horrible villagers did to him? The helplessness, the mask he tried to cover it up with, the fear of the memories, and the loathing he had for himself still today. It was enough to make her want to cry again, but it would make him uncomfortable, so she refrained.

They played in easy companionship for about five minutes before Inuyasha stiffened up, his nose sniffing wildly in the air. He remembered what Sesshoumaru said about intruders, and from what he could smell, although muted, was someone who did not live near him. Kagome jerked her head up when she heard the doorknob rattle. She tried to get Inuyasha's attention, but he was focused on the smell. He met her concerned eyes and held a hand out. She grasped it and he stood, pulling her up and walking her across the room, being silent when they passed the door. "Stay in Sesshoumaru's room until I come and get you," he signed and waited for her nod. However, before they could even make it to the room, the door flew open, causing her to gasp and whirl around. It seemed like a whirlwind had blown into the room, knocking Inuyasha down, and left Kagome standing open-mouthed at a handsome man before her.

She panicked and tried to run away when he grabbed her hands and held on, but he had a firm grasp on her. Inuyasha moaned and sat up from the floor, grabbing his head, and glaring at the intruder. He began signing rapidly, using too many insults that Kagome couldn't keep up. She was shocked when the man holding her hands laughed, and ignoring Inuyasha, turned to her.

"Can you hear?" he asked of her, and she blinked in surprise, nodding before she could think. "Good," he said. "Then allow me to introduce myself to the woman with the most beautiful scent I've ever had the pleasure to smell while stepping off of an elevator."

Kagome looked in confusion at Inuyasha, who still sat there with a scowl, and then turned back to the rascal who still had a grip on her hands.

"My name," he said. "is-"

"Kouga," a deep voice interrupted from the door, and Kagome whirled around to stare at Sesshoumaru, a cold expression on his face. "Would you mind taking your hands off of her?"

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Bwuhahahahaha, a cliffie. I know, I'm totally evil to not update in forever and then leave you hanging like this, but I just couldn't help it. I try not to give cliffhangers to my readers too much, but this just seemed like a perfect place to stop, and I have class tomorrow morning. Ugh. So, anyway, reviewer responses…

Sasha: If it weren't for your check-up's, I probably still would be working on this chapter, so thank you very much.

Jess16: Thank you for your compliments on the sign name. I decided that I'm not really going to specify one for Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha, just because I would be too afraid of screwing them up. Man, I want a name sign…but I want to be given one, you know. By one of my deaf friends. I'm still waiting patiently. I speak a little bit of sign language. I am currently in my second year at college level, but I'm still a beginner. I just love signing though, and it's such a beautiful language. Thank you for your review!

Monkeygirl: I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this chapter…

Megan Consoer: There are your more chapters…

Ruth: Hm, I don't know if I'm going to do a sequel to "Sesshoumaru, a Human?" I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe a one-shot, or something…I'll think about it, okay?

Wood: Why thank you. I believe I came across your review in "For Richer or Poorer" too, correct? I enjoy your compliments very much, and I really hope this chapter met up with your expectations.

Blue Rhapsody3: Thank you!

Artemisgirl: I hope that Inuyasha/Kagome interaction pleased you, as well as the Sesshoumaru/Kagome interaction. I hope you liked this chapter and I thank you for your wonderful comments.

Moonwave: Ha, I WISH I had a fanclub. How cool would that be?

Queen Yumekoshi: ha, why thank you.

Jinxx: Thank you very much for your review!

Mandybean: You're damn right Sess is sexy! I like Inu/Kag pairings too, but I just can't seem to help myself, and I always end up writing Kagome with Sesshoumaru…it's like an addiction. Thanks for your review!

Naraku'sgirl2: You know, I could have sworn I've talked to you on YIM before. Your screenname is so familiar. Feel free to contact me any time over it. My handle is: TheAuthoressMujitsu.

1kenshinlover: I'm glad you are getting into the story. I remember that I just replied to your review on "FROP", so its' weird to reply again…I'm strange like that….

Kags21: Naraku will be coming soon, I believe. I just want to develop Sess/Kag relationship a bit more.

kAjIkItSuNe15: thanks!

AurynMajere: thanks so much!

Mikazuki Tsuki: Thank you, I pride myself on being original!

Kougafan4eva: Thank you, I feel so honored about being on your list! I guess that whole keeping to my schedule thing didn't quite work out….

Sailor-Saturn-415: Thank you very much. I'm so glad everyone is into the whole sign language thing!

Happyface4ever: hah, I so totally wrote more…

Cindygirl: It's really hard to keep Inuyasha in character when he is signing, because sarcasm isn't really used in sign, and he is a very sarcastic person. I just try to imagine it in my head and write it out. Thank you for commenting on that!

LilNezumi Lil Inu: Thanks!

Kill-All-Flamers: yes, it is a great way to talk to your friends when the teacher isn't looking. Of course, I don't do that…at all. (looks around) And I also don't insult people in it when I know they can't understand me…at all. (looks around again)

Mirage and Mirokiki: well, I feel bad now. You said I cheer you up when I update…guess you haven't been happy for a while now, huh? For that, I deeply apologize.

Kagome21: I'll have to keep you guessing…

Rawhead and Bloody Bones: I feel so stupid asking this but…what is cosplay?  And, no, I don't do it…I don't even know what it is! Do you? Cosplay, I mean.

Your Crimson Death: Thank you so much for the review!

Supersticiousmonkey89: oh, a bedroom scene….hm, I don't know. I think HE should sneak into HIS room where SHE is…

Ashley: Thank you!

Inuyasha's Mate: OMFG, I absolutely ADORE your reviews. For one thing, they are long, and I LOVE that. I feel so horrible about not keeping up with my schedule. I don't know, as soon as I made a schedule for myself, I didn't want to write anymore. It's kind of like, you're going to clean your room, and then your mom tells you to clean your room, and then you don't want to clean it anymore. Does that make sense? Since I told myself I needed to get the chapter done at a certain time, I didn't. It seems like I don't want to listen to anyone, even myself…and thank you very much about promoting me in your reviews…they make me feel special. Later!

RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood: Thanks so much, I hope you liked this chapter!

Darcie: thank you for your enthusiastic review!

Meletina: I'm glad you like it!

Samantha: I hope you liked this chapter!

LynGreenTea: (sigh) oh well, you gave me four words that time. Does writing a laugh (hee hee) count as words?

Laina: I'm sorry I made you wait so long for an update! I hope it was worth it!

Pseudomonas: Thank you so much for your positive feedback. Most people just write "I like it", but you went above and beyond, and you have my gratitude. I like being told what I'm doing right. I'm very glad you like this story, and I hope you continue reading this.

Renee: trust me, I have an inferiority complex too. More of like a lack of confidence in myself, which is why reviews like yours make me happy!

Me: I'm glad you liked it!

Okay, kiddies, that's it for tonight. Again, I sincerely apologize from the depths of my heart for breaking my schedule. I don't think I should ever give myself a schedule again. One bit of important information: A Single Spark is no longer accepting submissions of chapters until 2006, so this story, of course, will not be updated on there. This story is, however, a part of and and you can find it there. I'm so bummed, because I know I'm going to disappoint a lot of reviewers on that site, and I apologize. Until next time and hugs and kisses to you all!

Mujitsu


	5. Hunted

(A/N: Okay, this time I have an excuse for not updating….really….and when I think of it I'll tell you guys. Here is chapter five…please don't eat me. And…I actually think this is going to be the last chapter. I honestly have no ideas for this story, and it's starting to sound very forced, which I don't like. Plus, I have a few more story ideas that I want to start on, plus my other story, "For Richer or Poorer" needs some TLC that I just can't give to this story. It's been fun, guys. I love you all.)

Disclaimer: (lawyers yelling) You do not own Inuyasha! (me) No shit, Sherlock. (bops them on the head.)

Chapter Five

Hunted

Kouga hastily dropped her hands at the sight of Sesshoumaru, and Kagome couldn't help but smile widely at the sight of him standing in the doorway, looking so imposing.

Sesshoumaru glanced from the wolf youkai, to a smiling Kagome, to a floor-bound hanyou with a raised eye-brow. Inuyasha scowled before quickly climbing to his feet and grabbing Kagome's wrist to get her away from the wolf. She looked confused, but didn't sign anything when she saw the look on Sesshoumaru's face.

"What are you doing here?" Sesshoumaru addressed Kouga. The wolf grinned unrepentantly.

"Can't I come and visit some old friends?" he asked innocently. "I haven't seen you guys in a month!"

"Why didn't you warn us you were coming?" Inuyasha signed, eyebrows lowered. Kouga looked confused.

"When have I ever given you warning?" He looked to Kagome, who was staring at the whole ordeal with wide eyes. "Maybe it has something to do with this beauty, eh? Are you angry because I've spoiled your time with her?"

Sesshoumaru broke in smoothly. "She is not your concern, wolf. And now is not a good time to visit."

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha and began to sign. "Doesn't it bother you when they don't sign so you know what's going on?"

He shrugged. "I'm used to it," he signed back. Kagome frowned and turned to the two demons. "I thought you weren't going to be back until later," she signed to Sesshoumaru.

"I wasn't-" he began to say, but she shook her head and gestured for him to sign. He raised another eyebrow at her, but she looked pointedly at Inuyasha, who was wearing an embarrassed look. Sesshoumaru slightly smirked before he signed. "I wasn't planning on coming back so soon, but I ended up finishing my work early and decided to come home in case anything happened."

He didn't tell her how many safe houses he went to that were being watched by Naraku's men. He was good enough not to let them detect his presence, but every single thug he saw was armed to the teeth and no doubt meant business. Naraku was serious about keeping Kagome quiet, and it made Sesshoumaru uneasy. Who knew what lengths the hanyou would go through to get to Kagome? His eyes narrowed slightly at the thought. As long as Sesshoumaru was around, nothing would get to Kagome. He would make sure of it.

Kouga was still standing there, and his arms were crossed. "Ah, so she's Sesshoumaru's woman, not Inuyasha's?"

Kagome turned a bright red and Sesshoumaru just sighed. "Kagome is just visiting for a while, Kouga."

"So she doesn't belong to anyone? All right then, I'll claim her. She can be my woman!"

At this Kagome's blush disappeared, and she just stared slack-jawed at the wolf. Inuyasha looked at her curiously, wondering what had been said, and why Sesshoumaru had suddenly tensed up.

The audacity of the wolf surprised even Sesshoumaru. As did the feelings that coursed through him at Kouga's declaration. They were scoffing at his words, and a fierce protectiveness rose up inside of him. He shook it off and gave a little smirk. "I believe she has a few other things to deal with before she could belong to a wolf like you. Better luck next time."

At this, Kouga growled and Kagome's bewildered stare turned to Sesshoumaru. He sounded so…casual about it. To be honest, she was a little bit miffed. Of course that had nothing to do with the fact that she was attracted to him and wanted him to feel the same things for her…nothing to do with it at all.

Well, fine then, if he could act so nonchalant about it, so could she. She quickly signed, "Will Kouga be staying for dinner?"

Kouga, knowing a few signs, immediately said yes. Sesshoumaru replied no at the exact same moment. Inuyasha had to choke back a laugh at the look on both of their faces. Even Kagome smiled, and since she was still hurt over Sesshoumaru's comments, she signed, "Good. I can do the cooking tonight for everyone." She turned and batted her eyelashes at Sesshoumaru. "It's the least I could do for_ imposing_ on you." She gave an exaggerated look when she signed, and Sesshoumaru realized that she was saying in her own way that his casual attitude concerning her wasn't appreciated. Before he could protest, she had already turned away and was walking to the kitchen. He let out a low growl before he could help himself, and watched as Kouga walked behind her, like a stray puppy.

He turned with a toss of his head to go to his room, and met the mocking smirk of Inuyasha. Letting out another low, frustrated growl, he walked into his room, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt as he went. He was ready to just sit and relax when her scent hit him and he almost groaned. Of course…she had slept in there last night, how could her scent not be everywhere?

Quickly, he left the room and walked into the kitchen where Kouga was attempting to woo Kagome and she bore it all with a tolerating smile. This too, didn't sit well with him, and seeking solace, he walked onto the balcony. Brooding, he stood staring at the sky and wondered what was going to happen.

Naraku would have to be caught…Kagome would have to return to her life…and he would have to return to his. Alone, again. He scoffed at his own sentimental feelings. How this slip of a girl had managed to turn his life upside down in the space of a few days was beyond him, yet it was true. Repressing another sigh, he watched the daylight fade away into night, silent in his contemplation.

A noise brought him out of his musings and his head swiveled around to see Kagome standing in the doorway of the balcony, the light from behind her silhouetting her figure. He began to walk towards her, asking, "What are you doing out here?"

She began to sign, "Dinner is ready. You should come inside now and eat." As she was finishing, she took a step out of the door, but her foot caught on railing of the sliding door and she began to fall forward.

Expecting to feel the ground meet her face, all she felt were a whoosh of air and a warm body holding her close. Embarrassed, she looked up to see the face of Sesshoumaru, an unreadable expression on his face, yet his eyes…his eyes.

They spoke to her. Her, who had so many difficulties communicating, understood with crystal clarity what was in his eyes. And for once, she could speak back. Her eyes, for that moment in time where everything was timeless, gave back the longing she could see within his amber depths. For one moment, she could speak….she was free. Was it possible to fall in love in an instant? To someone you hardly knew?

He was thinking along the same lines, yet slightly different. Was it possible that it was happening to him? A former TaiYoukai, who once shunned all humans and the very thought of love. Of course, living for centuries does change perspectives; it's just that he never thought it would happen to him in such a short amount of time. Yet he found himself inevitably drawn to her, and knew without a doubt that he would protect her until his last breath. All of this was conveyed in that split second when he held her before he reluctantly pushed her upright, his claws stroking her arm almost subconsciously. She shivered and he frowned. "You shouldn't be out here," he said softly. "It could be dangerous."

She nodded and turned to go back in the house, giving him one last look before disappearing from sight. He slowly let out a breath, and followed her moments later.

Now, something had changed. Whenever she looked at him across the dinner table, there was something special in her look, something only for him. Even when Kouga flirted with her, those looks were enough to keep him from slitting the wolf's throat.

However, when Kouga kissed her hand as he left, that was enough to warrant the "death glare" and an evil smirk when the wolf hightailed it out of the apartment. Kagome gave him another fleeting glance before she gave a small smile and began to clean the kitchen. The rest of the evening was without a lot of communication, and it was peaceful. Looks were exchanged, understood, and stored away for memories, while Inuyasha was a silent observer.

He couldn't say he wasn't happy for his brother. It just seemed so…weird seeing Sesshoumaru so happy. Well, not happy because he didn't smile once during the whole evening. He was more peaceful than anything. As they all went to bed, Inuyasha knew Sesshoumaru stayed awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling. As the hanyou fell asleep, he thought, _it's about time Sesshoumaru got a woman…I was beginning to think he was gay…_

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Of course, Kagome's night couldn't just stay perfect, especially when she awoke to a hand wrapping around her throat. She lay there, in the dark and blind, thinking that even if she did have her voice, she wouldn't be able to scream by how hard her assailant was choking her. She clawed at the arm, trying to be able to breathe. She managed to put her foot in a very tender position for a male, and her attacker was obviously a male, because he immediately backed away when she pressed her foot harder. Of course, that didn't mean he lost his grip on her. Instead, he dragged her up with him and held her dangled off of the floor.

The balcony doors to Sesshoumaru's room reflected the moonlight, and Kagome could see shadows all around her.

_Youkai…_

There were a whole mass of youkai in the house. Were they sent from Naraku? Of course they were. Sesshoumaru couldn't possibly fight all of these demons. She was going to be taken away and never see him again. She was going to die.

"Go," the youkai holding her said to his comrades. "Kill everyone else in the house. Naraku wants to see the woman for himself."

Before anyone else could make a move, the doors flew open, and Sesshoumaru stood there, his long hair crackling around him ominously.

_Sesshoumaru!_ Kagome thought. She had never been so happy to see him, but then realized that he was sorely outnumbered. Her eyes met his and she shivered as she saw the coldness behind his gaze. This was the demon Sesshoumaru.

"Release her," was all he said, his voice sounding completely calm. The demon he was referring to set Kagome down and held her around the waist in front of him.

"Naraku wants her brought to him."

"Then, he's going to be sorely disappointed, isn't he?"

The demon scoffed. "We might not be strong enough to kill you, but we can delay you. Come and get her if you live!" With that, the demon turned and jumped out of the window onto another rooftop, with Kagome held tightly against him.

Sesshoumaru immediately lunged forward, but the youkai were upon him. Methodically, he clawed through each and everyone, but more kept coming to take the place of the fallen. It wasn't so much as it was difficult to kill them, but the fact that it seemed to be a never ending battle. Inuyasha had woken to the hideous smells invading the apartment, and the vibrations of feet against the floor, and ran to Sesshoumaru's aide. Two brothers fought side by side. Although the hanyou couldn't tell if someone was coming up behind him or not, he was still an exceptional fighter. His other senses had increased tenfold, and he had no problem killing.

The two inu brothers retreated for just a moment, and Sesshoumaru signed that Kagome had been taken away. "Can you handle this by yourself?" he signed. Inuyasha looked almost affronted.

"You have to ask?" he signed back. They both let out identical smirks and, as one, ran into the front lines. Inuyasha went first, using his claws to slash a path, and Sesshoumaru used his speed to jump out of the same window Kagome had been taken through. He didn't even look back as he caught the scent and ran as fast as he had ever run before through the streets of Tokyo. Inuyasha could take care of himself and take out the trash that remained in the apartment. Sesshoumaru had to take care of his own business…

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Kagome struggled as much as she dared on the back of the youkai as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop. She didn't want the big oaf to drop her, but she needed to get away from him. However, one thought ran constant in her mind. Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru would come and save her, he wouldn't be killed by all of the demons she saw enter the house, he would come for her. Tears filled her eyes and a few spilled. If he did die, she would never forgive him.

Soon, they stopped by another building, a warehouse by the looks of the outside. The big youkai set her down and commanded, "Walk."

She walked. She was hardly in the position to argue with him, although she did feel an urge to stick her tongue out at him. The doors opened to reveal a long hallway, and Kagome felt like she was walking to her death. She laughed to herself. This sort of thing happened in movies, not to her. Not for the first time, she pondered how she had gotten herself into this mess. The darkness opened up into light, and she blinked rapidly to adjust her eyes. She was in the main part of the warehouse, and smack dab in the center stood the two faces she had come to fear above all else. Naraku stood in the center with the white-haired Hakudoushi at his side, and she cringed back. Of course, the stupid youkai behind her would not allow her to retreat, and gave her a harsh shove forward. She decided she would at least appear to be proud if she couldn't escape. She walked forward with her head held high, although her heart was pounding.

She stopped when she was standing in front of Naraku and didn't flinch as he walked in a slow circle around her, appraising her. He stopped in front of her, and lifted her chin to meet his eyes with his hand. At this, she did flinch back and glare at him. He chuckled.

"Quite the spitfire, isn't she, Hakudoushi?" Hakudoushi didn't say anything.

"So, you're name is Kagome, correct?"

Kagome nodded.

"I can't say I wasn't surprised that you were in Sesshoumaru's protection. He's given me more trouble over the years than anyone, but I must admit that you were harder to find than I thought. He must have really wanted to protect you. However, my contacts are vaster than any of you could realize."

Kagome just stared at him. "Are you scared speechless?" Naraku asked with a smile. Kagome shook her head.

"You aren't scared?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Ah, I bet you're thinking that your Sesshoumaru will come and save you, right?"

Kagome nodded emphatically. Naraku frowned. "Your silence is not making me happy. I want to hear the voice of the one who has managed to escape my notice before."

She shrugged as if she didn't care. She was unprepared for the sharp grip on her wrist that would've made any normal person cry out. In fact, her mouth opened, but as expected, no sound escaped. It seemed like a light bulb had gone off in Naraku's head and he smirked.

"You're mute aren't you?"

She glared at him as he laughed. "Oh, come on," he said, calming down. "Don't you find this whole situation slightly ironic? You're going to die because you saw something that you couldn't really tell anyone. It's very tragic."

_Hurry, Sesshoumaru_, she thought. As if she had conjured it by thought, the air suddenly grew thick and heavy. She realized that a demonic presence was closing in, fast. She had only ever felt something like this once in her whole life and she smiled when she realized what it was. Sesshoumaru had come, just like she had known. And from his youki, he seemed very, very pissed off.

They all turned as one to the dark hallway when they heard muffled sounds emitting from it. It was quiet for a moment as they all strained to see what had happened when the distinct sound of footsteps met their ears. His feet appeared first as the light threw his face in shadow. The only thing that appeared was blood-red eyes, like the devil. They flashed brighter for a moment when those eyes rested on the figure of Naraku and burned with bloodlust. However, when Sesshoumaru stepped fully into the light, his eyes were golden once more, and he looked at Naraku steadily.

"Hakudoushi," Naraku said with a snap of his fingers. Without a word, the henchmen stepped forward and drew a sword. Sesshoumaru looked at him with a bored expression. Hakudoushi charged, and all Kagome could see were two blurs on the floor, crashing together. When all movement stopped, Sesshoumaru stood with one arm held out and Hakudoushi stood with his head bowed. When a drop of blood fell from the index finger of Sesshoumaru, Hakudoushi collapsed.

"Weak," Sesshoumaru said, and threw a considering glance at the evil hanyou. "Of course, since he is an extension of you, I should have expected it."

Naraku smirked. "Sesshoumaru-sama, it seems I have underestimated you. I had no idea you wanted the girl back so much. It seems as if I shall have to fight you myself. Let's see if I can finish you off as quickly as you finished off my underling. I have many more engagements tonight."

"Hm," Sesshoumaru said with a small smirk and crouched into a fighting position. "I'm sure this will take no time at all."

"Well then," Naraku said, taking off his coat. Kagome shivered as tentacles started appearing out of his body and wrapped around her wrists. "Might as well make sure your little flower stays out of the way during this."

Kagome was transported a few feet back, tentacles still holding her prisoner, and she realized that Naraku intended on fighting while still holding onto her. _His arrogance is going to kill him, _she thought.

The air was filled with a charged silence in the moment that followed as each opponent sized up his enemy. Sesshoumaru wanted to get this over quickly and not give Naraku any time to counterattack. He would try and kill him in three moves or less. He charged first, claws extended. He managed to dodge at the last second as razor sharp tentacles aimed for his chest, and he redirected his body. Two fingers started to glow as he prepared to use his youkai whip, but a tentacle had managed to get behind him and grab onto his wrist. With a flick of his hand, he managed to sever the offending appendage, but found himself having to dodge from more tendrils of flesh.

He leaped back, reassessing the situation. Apparently, he had underestimated Naraku as well. He glanced at Kagome's scared face, and got into a fighters stance again. This was one fight he would not lose. The only way he was going to get a clean shot in was if he used his renowned speed. One clean swipe of his claws would take care of the rest.

With a twitch of his foot, he was off, and kept changing directions so as to throw the hanyou off. Slowly, he circled in, getting closer and closer, and was close enough to strike. He stopped right in front of Naraku and prepared to strike, when the bastard revealed the card up his sleeve. Suddenly it wasn't Naraku Sesshoumaru was looking at, it was the frightened face of Kagome. He hesitated…

Kagome saw what Naraku had pulled, and grew angry, more angry than she had ever been in her life. How dare he trick Sesshoumaru and attempt to kill him using her face! A power welled in her, a force that she had never learned to control and gripped the tentacles that held her prisoner. She was glowing a soft pink with the enormous power, and as if it were an electrical currant, it poured out of her into Naraku. The demon choked as if he had lost his breath, and the first layer of flesh on his body began to disintegrate. He was being purified.

Sesshoumaru watched as the "Kagome" before him slowly faded back into the demon he had been fighting before. "Kagome," he called to the real girl. "Release him so I can kill him."

She looked at him and shook her head. Either her power was so much that she couldn't control it, or she just wanted to kill the bastard herself. Either way, Naraku died slowly, and very, very painfully. When there were just ashes left, she collapsed. A split second later, Sesshoumaru was right beside her, cradling her body.

She gave him a tired smile. "If I had let go of him," she signed, "I think the purifying power would have flooded out of me and might have hurt you."

"Baka," he said, watching her eyes close tiredly. "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days."

He gently lifted her and began walking to the doors, his little miko close to him. She was already asleep and breathing deeply. As an afterthought he added, "It's a good thing I'm going to be around from now on to keep you out of trouble."

As if she had heard him unconsciously, she snuggled closer and had a small smile on her face. He felt his own lips lift in response.

After all, the future had so many possibilities…

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Ahhhhh, I finished it! I know I might have left some things hanging, but one thing that my creative writing teacher told me was that I wrapped everything up too nicely. So….HA! Anyway, like I said before, I'm sorry this story isn't longer. I just ran out of ideas for it and grew bored with the idea. I hope you liked it while it lasted. Anyway, I have started a new story, for those who like my work. It is another Sesshoumaru/Kagome pairing, and I'm actually attempting to do part of it in the canon universe. It's called, "Midnight Meets Moonlight." And get this, it's not completely AU! (gasp!) One of these days, I will do a Kag/Inu pairing, I will, but this is my favorite pairing right now, and I write what I like. (sigh) This is always the saddest part of any writer. My final thanks…

A BIG, HUMONGOUS, GARGANTUAN, ENORMOUS, MASSIVE, (and any other word that means "large) THANKS TO:

Shadowcat1028, Sasurai, happyface4ever, Amarioko, Lass, cma832744, s+s destiny, zeddy200, Sess's Sakura, fluffi li (thanks for the plushie!), kAjIkItSuNe15, meletina, Twilyt Bitch, Mirage and Mirokiki, clavira89, sakurasyth, JewelQueen, wood, moonwave, Jess16, . (lol on the SN…), SesshoumaruFan552014, Kags21, Kimmichiwa, Aspen XIII, Sasha, Rawhead and Bloody Bones, Blue Rhapsody3, GothMistress, lady scorpio, animegirl2005, BrucesGirl, 1kenshinlover, artemisgirl, LynGreenTea (I think that's the most you wrote yet!), Kjinuyasha, Kagome21, SilverQuick, Lathayan, nomatter, LilNezumi LilInu, Darktemp, Yabou (I adored your review, thank you very much!)

All of you rock, and like I said before, check out my new story, It's called, "Midnight Meets Moonlight." Hopefully it will be better than this one! Kisses and hugs to you all, and I hope this isn't good-bye!

Ja ne,

Mujitsu


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